The Heir

Сhарtеr 239: Rеturned

Thе flееt оf Нuiyuan Bаnk hаd indeed bеen hijaсkеd bу Jараnese рirates.

This news was cоnfirmеd by Luо Wenqiаn, whо hаd inquirеd at thе Ningbо Маritimе Trаde Officе. It wаs said thаt Huiyuan Вank’s fleеt had beеn tаrgеtеd bу Jарanesе рiratеs оn thе seа abоut tеn miles from Ningbо Рort, аnd a fiercе battle had еnsuеd bеtweеn the two sides.

Тhеsе Jaраnеsе рirаtes wеrе unusuallу formidаble, with dozеns of lаrgе shiрs equiрреd with сannons. Althоugh Wang Cuiqiao had а background аs a seа bandit, shе hаd long sinсe reformed, and her ships were, after all, merchant vessels. While they were armed with some weapons to defend against Japanese pirates, they were no match for the cannons on the pirate ships.

From the very beginning of the battle, they were at a disadvantage.

Thus, in the end, although several pirate ships were sunk, Huiyuan Bank also lost several of its own ships. Additionally, pirates boarded and hijacked a few merchant vessels. It was only when the Ningbo garrison arrived that the Japanese pirates retreated. Huiyuan Bank managed to preserve its last few ships, which are now undergoing repairs in Ningbo.

In short, Huiyuan Bank suffered significant losses this time.

Among Huiyuan Bank’s fleet was also a shipment of goods belonging to Yi Hou Sheng. Therefore, upon hearing the news, Luo Wenqian set off for Ningbo.

However, there was no news about Li Zhengping. Those who brought back the information knew nothing when asked. Given all the signs, Li Zhengping’s whereabouts did not look promising.

In the evening, the fiery clouds painted the sky a brilliant red.

Yet, from the Li household came the wails of Madam Fang: “Seventh Aunt, oh Seventh Aunt, what fate do the men of our Li family have? Why do troubles keep befalling them? Is it so hard to live in peace? How could I have been so foolish back then? How could I have let him go on such a dangerous overseas journey? Wasn’t it just because he wanted to reconcile with Ge Qiu Jie? If he wanted to reconcile, so be it. After all, a night of marriage brings a hundred days of affection. As long as he was happy, why should I have opposed him? Seventh Aunt, I regret it so much…”

Madam Fang sat on the soft couch, crying and slapping her thighs, her face filled with regret. Ever since Li Zhengping’s disappearance, she had been unable to bear it. She had completely broken down and was now running a fever.

“Jingming’s wife, this is fate. But don’t think the worst. Zhengping may have no news, but no news might be good news. Back when Jingfu was in trouble, everyone said he wouldn’t survive, yet he returned alive in the end. In short, we must see the person alive or the body dead. Without seeing either, we cannot assume the worst…” said Seventh Old Madam.

“Yes, you must hold on. Jingming, Jingfu, Zhengshen, and Zhengliang have already rushed to Ningbo. Once they find Boss Wang, we’ll surely have definite news about Zhengping. Who knows, he might be perfectly fine right now? If you cry yourself sick, what good will that do?” said Chen Shi, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Li family, her eyes reddened.

“Yes, yes, sister-in-law, you should take care of your health,” added Huang Shi and Madam Tian, chiming in to console her.

Madam Tian had returned to the Li household after Tian Benchang reclaimed the Tian family’s wealth.

“Seventh Aunt, you don’t understand. These past few days, every time I close my eyes, I dream of Zhengping covered in blood,” Madam Fang wailed again. Zhen Niang entered with a bowl of porridge, her heart aching and her thoughts in turmoil upon hearing the cries.

“How could we not understand? Haven’t we all been through this before?” Huang Shi said, her voice choked with sobs. The scene before them stirred painful memories.Zhen Niang felt uncomfortable seeing this. "Auntie, have some porridge, eat a little."

"Zhen Niang, don’t trouble yourself. How could I eat anything now?" Madam Fang waved her hand, wiping away her tears one last time.

"Eat. The women of our Li family are not this weak. Even if the worst happens and Zhengping is gone, as his mother, you still have to arrange his funeral. What if you collapse then?" Seventh Old Madam said sternly from the side.

She had experienced too much death—first her husband, then her son, and even her grandson. Each funeral had been arranged by her own hands.

"Ah, Seventh Aunt is right." Hearing the old madam’s words, Madam Fang suddenly realized it was true. Her son’s funeral would still depend on her. With that, she wiped her tears forcefully again, snatched the bowl of porridge from Zhen Niang’s hands, and began eating in large mouthfuls, nearly choking in the process.

The atmosphere was too much for Zhen Niang to bear, so she left the room.

"Zhen Niang, is there really no news about Zhengping?" At that moment, Hua’er brought Ge Qiu Jie over. As soon as Ge Qiu Jie saw Zhen Niang, she asked with a pale face.

"Don’t worry too much, Qiu Jie. Ningbo is far away, and the situation there is unclear. My father and eldest brother have already rushed to Ningbo," Zhen Niang said.

Upon hearing this, Ge Qiu Jie turned to leave immediately.

"Qiu Jie, where are you going?" Zhen Niang couldn’t help but ask.

"I’m going to Ningbo. If Zhengping is safe, I’ll return with him. If something has happened to him, I’ll wear mourning clothes for him," Ge Qiu Jie declared resolutely.

"Qiu Jie, why put yourself through this?" Zhen Niang tried to persuade her.

"Yes, sister-in-law," Hua’er added, her eyes reddening as she unconsciously used the old form of address.

"No, I have a feeling Zhengping isn’t dead. He won’t die," Ge Qiu Jie said with certainty. After speaking, she turned and left. Zhen Niang sighed but let her go. Ge Qiu Jie had always been strong-willed; once she made up her mind, no one could stop her.

Thus, another ten or so sorrowful days passed.

Soon, it was mid-February.

In the evening, as Zhen Niang was tidying up in her room, she overheard her grandmother and mother talking beneath the window.

"Zhen Niang’s wedding is next month, but with all this happening in the family, should we postpone it?" Zhao Shi asked Wu Shi. Although Li Jingming’s family was a branch of the main household, Li Jingming was now one of the managers of the Ink Workshop. With a funeral on that side and a wedding on this side, it felt somewhat inauspicious.

"We can’t delay any longer. Zhen Niang is already twenty. In Huizhou, you can hardly find anyone unmarried even at eighteen, let alone twenty. Delaying further would be unlucky. Let the wedding proceed as scheduled," Wu Shi said, patting her thigh with her palm.

"You’re right," Zhao Shi nodded, genuinely not wanting to postpone it either. In Zhao Shi’s eyes, Zhengping’s situation had little impact; what truly needed attention was the old madam’s condition. The old madam was already over eighty, and her health had been poor in recent years. Frankly, she was living day by day.

The old madam was well aware of this. That’s why, as soon as Zhen Niang’s mourning period ended, she had set the wedding for March. Firstly, she wanted to personally oversee Zhen Niang’s wedding. Secondly, she was guarding against the possibility that if she passed away unexpectedly, it wouldn’t delay Zhen Niang for another year.After all, as the matriarch of the main branch and the one who had personally supported Zhen Niang’s rise, if she were to pass away, it would be unreasonable for Zhen Niang not to observe mourning. Although there was the custom of marrying during the mourning period, that applied to the groom’s side. For the bride to marry while in mourning would inevitably invite gossip from the groom’s family.

Although Zhao Shi knew Wenqian was not that kind of person, there were others to consider. Such gossip was best kept to a minimum.

Listening from inside the room, Zhen Niang also felt uneasy. With such an event in the family, the festive atmosphere had inevitably faded. However, such matters were naturally left to her grandmother and mother to decide.

As the people in the room were talking, the main gate opened, and Li Jingfu, Luo Wenqian, and their party returned from Ningbo.

“How did it go? Any news about Zhengping?” Wu Shi, Zhao Shi, and the others immediately gathered around. Du Shi quickly took their bags.

Li Jingfu shook his head with a troubled expression. “No news at all.”

“How can there be no news? There should be some word, whether he’s alive or dead?” Wu Shi asked, puzzled. Good news would mean he was safe; bad news would mean he was dead or captured. How could there be no news at all?

“Here’s what happened. The day before the Japanese pirates appeared, as the fleet was nearing Ningbo, Li Zhengping took a few men and set out ahead in a small boat to notify people at the dock to receive the goods,” Luo Wenqian explained.

“So, Zhengping didn’t encounter the Japanese pirates?” Zhao Shi interrupted, her face lighting up with hope.

“The problem is, after they delivered the message, they turned back along the same route. But after making inquiries, we haven’t been able to find any news of them. We fear they might have encountered the Japanese pirates on their return. I’ve left Zhengliang in Ningbo to continue the search,” Li Jingfu added.

So that was the situation. No wonder there was no news.

“By the way, Father, Brother Luo, did you run into Ge Qiu Jie?” Zhen Niang asked from the side.

“We did. When we were returning, she was still sailing on the sea, stopping every boat she encountered to ask for news. I never realized before how deeply Ge Qiu Jie cared for Zhengping. It’s a pity. His mother shouldn’t have stopped them back then,” Li Jingfu sighed.

Zhen Niang’s heart ached. She understood that although her father said there was still no news about Zhengping, his words implied that Zhengping was likely in grave danger. Otherwise, there would have been some word by now.

That evening, upon hearing the news, Madam Fang could not help but weep bitterly once more.

As dusk fell, Zhen Niang returned from Uncle Jingming’s house. Upon reaching her own doorstep, she saw Luo Wenqian leaning against the wall. Zhen Niang walked over, and Luo Wenqian took her hand. The two sat down on the nearby stone steps, watching the sunset gradually fade.

In the following days, the biggest topics in Huizhou were once again Huiyuan Bank and the Japanese pirates’ incursion.

Meanwhile, the eighth branch of the Li family quietly busied themselves with preparations for Zhen Niang’s wedding.

As for Uncle Jingming and Aunt Jingming, after their initial collapse, they gradually found strength, burying their sorrow deep in their hearts. Life had to go on. However, recently, Aunt Jingming often asked Zhen Niang about Ge Qiu Jie. Upon learning that Ge Qiu Jie was still in Ningbo, she would let out a long sigh.

“Perhaps it was for the best that we didn’t agree to their union back then. Otherwise, we would have delayed Qiu Jie’s life as well,” Madam Fang remarked one evening after chatting with Zhen Niang, before turning to head home.Zhen Niang had initially intended to console Madam Jingming, urging her to look on the bright side. But when her gaze fell upon the end of the small path, the corners of her mouth lifted, her face brimming with joy. "Auntie, turn around and see who’s back?"

At the far end of the bluestone-paved path, Ge Qiu Jie was supporting Li Zheng Ping. Both carried bundles on their backs as they hurried forward.

"Mother..." Li Zheng Ping called out from a distance.

"Zhen Niang, did I mishear?" Madam Fang dared not turn around, her face filled with unease as she asked Zhen Niang.

"Auntie, you didn’t mishear. It’s Brother Zhengping who’s back," Li Zhenniang replied cheerfully, her eyes and brows alight with happiness.

Then Madam Fang let out a cry that was half-sob, half-laugh. "Zhengping, you wretched boy, you scared your mother half to death..."